The Tiger and the Popinjay
by TheJackieMo
Summary: SLBP. Rated E. One-Shot. What do Takeda Shingen and Uesugi Kenshin do when meeting between battles?


**The Tiger and the Popinjay**

"Harunobu."

Kansuke parted the opening to the tent of the leader of the Takeda army, silently stepping inside. The man in question looked up at the announced entrance, surprised the retainer extended the courtesy of making himself known at all.

"Yes? Is he ready?"

"As you requested. The shrine is not far."

"Very well." The red-haired general stood from where he had been looking over the latest reports from his scouts and made his way into the cloudy light of a warm April day. The shrine Kansuke had mentioned was indeed not far from the army's camp, but Shingen made sure none of his men, other than his most trusted retainer, knew where he was going.

The walk took no more than twenty minutes before the curved roof of a nearly overgrown shrine came into view. It was quaint, with several small statues of foxes scattered about. There appeared to be no one in sight outside, so he made his way to the back of the building, finding the hidden door he was searching for.

"There's my fierce Tiger," a gentle voice called out as Shingen slid his shoes off. He turned, immediately spotting the man he had planned on meeting with.

"Uesugi-"

"And here I was, thinking we had become more familiar with each other," the blond sighed, a slight frown gracing his features.

"Kenshin," Shingen corrected with a warm smile.

"That's better." It seemed to take little to make his expression transform, as his mouth broke into a bright smile, showing off his pearly white teeth. Joining with a smirk of his own, Shingen sat opposite his rival, pouring himself some tea from the small pot set on the table between them.

"I wondered if you would come," he commented, sipping at the tea that had gone slightly cold.

"How could I possibly say no to you?" Kenshin smiled, taking a sip of his own tea.

Several minutes passed before either man said another word, but before long, the tea was gone and silence reigned.

"Your armies have been fighting admirably," the Tiger of Kai said.

"And yours," the blond replied. "I didn't see you on the battlefield. I worried." Takeda smiled warmly at his companion and made himself more comfortable, moving closer to the other man.

"You know you have no need to worry for my safety," he murmured, placing a large hand on the slightly smaller one still resting on the table.

"Still, any day that goes by when you're out of my sight, my heart breaks a little more."

"Then give up on these games we play," Shingen murmured into Kenshin's ear. "Come to Kai. Be by my side."

"You know I can't."

"And why is that?"

Kenshin turned to face his companion, trying to express his longing in his gaze. It was useless though; they both already knew why this couldn't be. Before they had even met in person, both men had committed to becoming divine ruler of Japan and amassing grand armies to accomplish the task. To quit now would be…a waste. They would be disappointments, and likely cast out by their people for bringing shame on their lands and names.

Kenshin's gaze hardened as he looked into Shingen's fiery eyes before he responded.

"My tiger, you know very well why we must remain a secret." The blond moved to stand, preparing to leave the shrine, deciding it may have been a mistake to come at all. But he was quickly stopped by a firm grip on his wrist midway up. "If anyone were to find out – anyone we couldn't trust – our own men would likely turn on us both," he continued, turning away so the red-haired man wouldn't be able to see the pain in his eyes.

He took a moment to regain his composure before he turned back to the man still holding his wrist from his seated position. Shingen was staring at him, in that same way he always did when he was about to do something to bring Kenshin to his knees.

"Popinjay," Shingen said, gently tugging the other man back down. "If…if you won't come to Kai with me, at least come to bed."

Kenshin's mouth formed a thin line in contemplation. He knew he should leave. His men were waiting for him, unknowing of where he went. It wouldn't be long before Kanetsugu sent out a search party for fear that he had been captured by enemy forces. It may have been a mistake keeping his relationship a secret from his most trusted retainer, but Tsugu would definitely take pains to keep them away from each other. Kenshin couldn't let that happen. Even if he and his lover had to meet in dusty shrines in the middle of battles, like they did this time, he couldn't imagine never seeing him again.

"Shing-" He began to say as he turned back to face his lover, but was cut off as the Tiger of Kai captured his lips with his own. He had been about to tell him that they needed to go – that someone would find them if they stayed much longer – but his words were forgotten as soon as he felt the soft touches the otherwise fierce general gave him.

Forgetting where they were and what he was supposed to be doing, Kenshin lifted his arms and wrapped them around the larger man, pulling him closer. It felt so good to feel the taut muscles that waging war created under his fingers, and he yearned to feel the skin beneath the kimono. Shingen was two steps ahead of him, gently bring the pair down to the tatami and hooking his thumbs in the obi to peel off the hakama. The blond beneath him made quick work of Shingen's own clothing, and soon both lay bare before the other.

"I've missed you. Missed this," Takeda whispered against his lover's flesh and he kissed his way from Kenshin's mouth, to his neck, to his chest. Gently, he took a nipple in between his teeth and flicked it with his tongue.

The God of War was speechless as he ran his hands over his fierce Tiger, memorizing every plane of his skin. Gasps were the only sound he made as his companion travelled all over his body, licking his chest and kneading his ass with his strong, calloused hands.

"It's been too long," Kenshin moaned as Shingen's mouth grazed his pelvis, his chin bumping against the stiff prick beneath him. Having a habit of putting off the best part, Shingen bypassed the bobbing member, and instead found his way to Kenshin's sack. He licked the firm bullocks before taking one in his mouth and rolling it on his tongue.

"Shingen!" Kenshin cried out as the sensitive area was assaulted. "Don't make me wait."

"That's part of the fun, love." After giving the same treatment to the other ball, Shingen trekked even farther south, to the pink ring of flesh of Kenshin's hole. He took a moment to admire the spot, and how it clenched for him, anticipating what was to come. But he came back to his senses once the body beneath him began to writhe, silently begging for him to continue.

Sticking out his tongue, he trailed the appendage from the other man's perineum, to that twitching little star, gently probing it for entry. Kenshin gasped again, moaning at the sensation and wriggling his hips for more. The Tiger chuckled, his breath ghosting over the sensitive flesh and he brought a hand up to join his tongue in opening his lover. Gently, he breached the tight opening, lubricating the flesh with his mouth and pressing his thumb inside.

Kenshin moaned again at the intrusion, fighting off the slight sting, in exchange for the pleasure of his lover catering to his needs. As he basked in the glow of the various sensations taking over him, he brought a leg to hook over Shingen's shoulder, pulling the man closer and pressing his mouth harder against him. The red-haired man moaned in surprise at the action, used to Kenshin's usual passive stance in the bedroom, but enjoying their activities no less.

Gradually, he worked two, and then three fingers into the tight passage, doing his best to make sure that their joining would be as pain free as possible. After a short time, he trailed his mouth back north of the slender body, meeting the blond's neck and nipping at the most sensitive spots there in preparation. Kenshin's legs slid from the other man's shoulder, to his waist, tightening its grip. Kenshin then grasped his lover's cock and brought it to rest against his own, before he began stroking the both of them in tandem. Takeda's knees nearly gave out at the pleasure his lover's motions elicited. As precome gathered at both of their tips, the strokes of Kenshin's hand were slickened, heightening the pleasure, and Shingen couldn't stop his hips from bucking against the other man's.

"Popinjay," The Tiger groaned against Kenshin's ear, grinding into the hand still stroking both their lengths. "I can't…much longer…I need you."

"Then take me," the blond man whispered into Shingen's ear, as he gripped the broad shoulders above him, bracing himself for the sting of penetration. He felt Shingen move his hand from the tatami mat, and bring his cock to the prepared entrance, letting his tip brush against the hole, before breaching it slowly.

Kenshin gasped as every inch made its way into his body, lubricated from his lover's mouth and their own combined precome. After the entire length was covered, Shingen paused, allowing his partner to adjust, despite how much he wanted to withdraw and slam back into the slender body. When he was ready though, Kenshin turned his head so his mouth met his lover's neck, and gently nipped at the skin there, before latching on and sucking hard enough to bruise.

Shingen understood the silent cue and slowly withdrew himself to continue their lovemaking. For that was what this was. Love. Never before had either man met someone, anyone, who could ignite such a passionate fire within them, making them both consider dashing away their life's works to be with the other. Love was what Shingen was thinking about as his pumping accelerated to the point that Kenshin was being jostled against the tatami mat and gripping his hips tighter. Love was what Kenshin was thinking about as Shingen's cock brushed up against his prostate, causing stars to flash in his eyes and his back to arch into the sensations.

Eager for more, the blond brought one of his hands down to his painfully hard prick and teased the tip, which was dripping more precome than before down the shaft. Shingen increased his speed, uttering grunts and groans as he went. Feeling his own climax building, Kenshin gripped his member and stroked it, quickly hastening the strokes to match the rutting of his lover.

"Popinjay," Takeda gasped. "T-tell me. Tell me you'll always be mine."

Kenshin had a hard time seeing through the pleasured tears blinding him, but he was still able to tell how passionately the other man was gazing at him as they writhed together.

"Shi-Shingen! I-I-!"

"P-please! I can't go back out there without knowing that you love me too." Shingen's pace faltered for a moment, but continued once the blond opened his mouth.

"Y-yes! Shingen, I love you! Yes!" And with his cry, Kenshin spilled his seed over both their stomachs and chests. Shingen rutted twice more before his own body stiffened and his cock throbbed inside the body beneath him. Kenshin felt as the member twitched its spendings, before the red-head gently, but exhaustedly, lowered himself to rest on top of the smaller man.

After several minutes, both men were sticky, but content to lie with one another and simply kiss. However, that was not meant to be. Reality dawned on them and they both realized they had been gone for far too long. Shingen gently pulled out of the loosened passage and brought himself up to a sitting position, while Kenshin rose to stand and collect two rags next to a small water basin that sat in a corner. Both men wiped the stickiness off their bodies and made themselves presentable once more.

Neither wanted to leave, but they had already decided that they could not forego this battle. Even if it ended in a stalemate, it must be fought in order to better determine who would succeed in his plans for divine rule. They also both knew that every time they met in battle, they would have a repeat performance of what had just happened. Choosing to look forward to that, instead of the death and destruction war would bring, the men embraced, their tongues battling for dominance of their own.

When they couldn't procrastinate any longer, they reluctantly separated, their fingertips the last to touch, and went their separate ways.


End file.
